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Key Leading Indicator Matrix
Here’s a matrix of key leading indicators, their definitions and associated metrics put together by the Campbell Institute in Chicago, which can be used as a guide for improving your company’s safety performance. For more on this matrix, read the related article.
S=Systems-based, O=Operations-based, B=Behaviour-based
| LEADING INDICATOR/ DESCRIPTION |
ASSOCIATED METRICS | |
|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment (S,O)
Identification of the tasks, hazards and risks of a job prior to work, and the implementation of protective measures to ensure work is done safely |
Number of assessments conducted per plan | |
| Percent of assessments completed per plan | ||
| Ratio between the levels of risk identified (high, medium, low) | ||
| Scoring the steps of an operation on severity, exposure and probability | ||
| Number of assessments communicated | ||
| Number of risks mitigated or controlled | ||
| Number of assessments validated by EHS manager | ||
| Percent of assessments re-evaluated and revalidated | ||
| Percent of routine tasks identified | ||
| Percent of tasks identified | ||
| Percent of risk assessments completed per schedule/plan | ||
| Number of assessments to evaluate potential severity | ||
| Hazard identification/ Recognition (S) Evaluations and assessments (not necessarily audits) through management and employee observations to identify potential hazards |
Number of near miss reports | |
| Number of unsafe observations (conditions or behaviours) | ||
| Number of safe observations (conditions or behaviours) | ||
| Number of unsafe observations per inspection | ||
| Number of unsafe observations reported per employee per time period | ||
| Number and percent of previously unknown or uncategorized hazards discovered | ||
| Inspection count (collection of observations) | ||
| Ratio of safe to unsafe observations | ||
| Weighted percent of safe observations (using risk matrix) | ||
| Frequency of 100% safe | ||
| Number of checklists filled out | ||
| Number of comments for unsafe observations that clarified nature of the hazard | ||
| Number of people trained in hazard identification | ||
| Number of unsafe observations recorded by a trained person | ||
| Risk profiling (S)
A review of the collected hazard identification data, prioritization of preventable and corrective actions, and identification of areas for continuous improvement |
Correlation rate between leading and lagging indicators | |
| Number of reviews and comparisons (to check quality of the process) | ||
| Number of repeat findings | ||
| Number of gaps in hazard identification process | ||
| Number of incidents with a root cause related to inadequate risk assessment | ||
| Number of root causes not previously categorized or identified in risk assessment | ||
| Number of assessments deemed unacceptable | ||
| Percent of life-threatening risks, low severity risks, etc. | ||
| Percent of reduction in overall risk score | ||
| Number of risks by specific category (such as fall protection, confined space, housekeeping, etc.) | ||
| Preventative and corrective actions (S,O)
Any measure to correct behaviour that could result in failure or defect, as well as any proactive measure to prescribe safe behaviour and prevent non-conformance |
Average days to close | |
| Number of days to completion | ||
| Percent closed on time (within X hours or by due date) | ||
| Number of open issues that need to be closed | ||
| Number of open issues that haven’t yet had a corrective action assigned | ||
| Percent of preventative and corrective actions communicated | ||
| Number of effective corrective actions verified by managers | ||
| Number of corrective actions for critical issues validated for effectiveness by managers | ||
| Number and percent of issues in conformance with recommended corrective actions | ||
| Percent or ratio of corrective actions at each level of control (according to hierarchy of controls) | ||
| Percent or ratio of corrective actions according to hazard type (such as confined space, fall protection, etc.) | ||
| Number of issues flagged at 30 days, 60 days, etc. | ||
| Number of corrective actions prioritized by risk (such as high severity, low severity, life-threatening, etc.) | ||
| Number of divisional targets that have dropped below a 90%-completed rate | ||
| Management of change process (O)
Formal process to ensure appropriate planning around HR activities, union negotiations, seasonal changes in employment and changing management |
Percent of tasks completed | |
| Number of facilities running 10% overtime | ||
| Number of facilities experiencing X% turnover | ||
| Number of gaps in management of change review | ||
| Number of new assessments for changes in processes or equipment | ||
| Number of new trainings for operations | ||
| Learning system (S)
Any activity or program (such as training, communication, coaching and on-the-job training) to teach employees and management about EHS issues and procedures (skills, knowledge and values) and learn from prior incidents |
Number and percent of completed training goals (by individual, group or facility) | |
| Percent of compliance versus goal | ||
| Number of training hours (per hours worked per facility/BU/corporate or per time period) | ||
| Number of training hours (per employee, per site, per time frame) | ||
| Number of incidents with a root cause that includes lack of training | ||
| Number of certified trainers | ||
| Dollars spent per year on training | ||
| Number of new employees who complete orientation | ||
| Number and percent of positive post-training evaluations | ||
| EHS management system component evaluation (S)
An audit of an organization’s safety management system to assess conformance with system expectations and goals |
Maturity score (percent of system component compliance) | |
| Number and frequency of audits performed | ||
| Number of findings (instances of non-conformance) | ||
| Number of corrective actions | ||
| Number of management system root causes identified by incident investigations | ||
| Recognition, disciplinary and reinforcement program (S)
The recognition of safe behaviour or the correction of unsafe behaviour to reinforce the objectives of the EHS management system |
Percent of personal EHS system goals met | |
| Number of disciplinary actions | ||
| Number of incident root causes tied to disciplinary action | ||
| Number of recognitions for safe behaviour | ||
| Leading indicator component evaluation (S)
Correlation and trend analysis of key performance indicators to evaluate the outcomes of leading indicator implementation |
Year-over-year analysis of correlation rates | |
| Annual analysis of correlation rate | ||
| Number of comparisons of predictive measures to performance outcomes | ||
| Number and percent of predictive measures meeting predictive goals | ||
| Number and percent of predictive measures meeting performance outcomes | ||
| Communication of safety (S)
Sharing of information to stakeholders, employees and management regarding safety metrics/indicators and EHS policy |
Number of users of EHS dashboard | |
| Number and frequency of employee meetings | ||
| Number of tailgates/pre-shift safety talks completed | ||
| Number of bulletin boards with current/relevant information | ||
| Percent conformance with communication expectations/needs | ||
| Frequency of communication to stakeholders, employees and management | ||
| Number of website hits | ||
| Percent completed and communicated | ||
| Number of page views of safety blog | ||
| Safety perception survey (S)
Polling employees on impressions and perceptions of management and/or organizational safety performance |
Number and frequency of perception surveys | |
| Percentage of employees polled | ||
| Response rate | ||
| Percent of positive/negative poll results | ||
| Employee-management gap analysis | ||
| Training (O)
Any event that attempts to enrich or increase knowledge, skills and ability to prevent incidents and/or control hazards |
Ratio of training hours to work hours per month | |
| Number of safety talks and safety training sessions | ||
| Number of assessments to determine the type of training needed | ||
| Compliance (O)
Adherence to standard operating procedure |
Number of regulatory inspections without findings (not necessarily fines) | |
| Percent of defect-free agency inspections | ||
| Prevention through design (O)
Implementation of design elements to eliminate defects and ensure only one safe way of performing a task |
Number or percent of designs that pass validation or quality test | |
| Leadership engagement (B)
Leaders’ behaviours and actions that demonstrate their extra effort and commitment to ensuring safety |
Number of employee suggestions implemented by leadership | |
| Number of employees volunteering for initiatives | ||
| Number of managers/supervisors participating in critical design reviews | ||
| Percent of positive ratings of managers and supervisors by employees | ||
| Employee engagement and participation (B)
Employee behaviours and actions that demonstrate their extra effort and commitment to ensuring safety |
Participation rate | |
| Number of on-the-job observations from employees | ||
| Number of off-the-job observations from employees | ||
| Number of employees personally engaged by supervisors in walk-arounds | ||
| Percent of coached observations | ||
| Percent of employees documenting observations | ||
| Number and quality of comments | ||
| Percent of job turnover | ||
| Number of grievances submitted | ||
| Number of employees leading safety meetings | ||
| At-risk behaviours and safe behaviours (B)
At-risk behaviours or safety violations that are observed by individuals, supervisors and management |
Number of observations | |
| Ratio of positive to negative observations | ||
| Number of observers | ||
| Percentage of supervisors meeting observation goals | ||
| Ratio of peer-to-peer observations to supervisory observations | ||
| Hazard severity of observations | ||
| Ratio of high-risk observations to low-risk observations | ||
| Percent of coached observations | ||
| Area observations/walk-arounds (B)
A workplace tour to observe the safety performance of people (such as activities, behaviours, work tasks) |
Number of walk-arounds | |
| Number of supervisors meeting goals | ||
| Percent meeting safety performance standard | ||
| Percent deviating from safety performance standard | ||
| Off-the-job safety (B)
Efforts aimed at managing, tracking and reducing incidents and injuries that occur outside the workplace |
Number of off-the-job observations from employees | |
| Permit-to-work systems (S)
Formal written procedures to control types of work that are potentially hazardous |
Number of safety inspections and audits | |
| Number of gaps in completion | ||
| Number or percent of supervisors and managers who have completed training in permit-to-work systems | ||
| Equipment and preventative maintenance (O)
Identification of critical pieces of equipment for more frequent maintenance when it’s nearing the end of its ‘life’ |
Percent of maintenance time spent on planned versus unplanned maintenance | |
| Number of defects found in equipment | ||
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